Orsted has revealed that Sunrise Wind, an offshore wind project in New York, has received approval for the construction and operations plan (COP) from the US Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM).
Orsted says this is the final permit needed from BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein to move the project towards the start of offshore construction at east of Montauk, New York. The Sunrise Wind power project is expected to be operational in 2026.
Sunrise Wind, New York’s largest offshore wind project, has a capacity of 924 MW. Orsted says Sunrise Wind will generate enough renewable energy to power nearly 600,000 homes in New York. Orsted did not reveal financial details of the project.
The COP approval outlines the project’s one nautical mile wind turbine spacing, the requirements for the construction methodology for all work occurring in federal ocean waters, and mitigation measures to protect marine habitats and species.
The approval of the COP is in line with BOEM’s permitting timeline and follows the agency’s issuance of its Record of Decision in March 2024, which concluded the thorough BOEM-led environmental review of the project.
“Sunrise Wind is a centrepiece of New York’s clean energy vision, and with this final federal approval, we can officially put the construction phase in motion,” said David Hardy, Executive Vice President and CEO of Region Americas at Orsted.
Recently, Sunrise Wind finalised its agreements with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) on the project’s 25-year offshore wind renewable energy certificate (OREC) contract.